“My sense is let’s not synonymise Hamas with the broader Palestinian issue. Hamas is a terrorist organisation ... I think the attack on Israel was brutal and evil. Having been to both sides of the issue, I condemn strongly the terror attacks that took place ... we have got to make sure that we cannot continue with this war,” he said.
“What needs now to happen is that the global community must make sure that we don’t only end the conflict ... but we restore the nature of the of the agreement that has always been in place, which is how do we achieve a two-state solution and make sure that in the region we have peace, because I don’t think violence is the [solution].”
His view is similar to that of the official opposition the DA – which he led from 2015 until he quit in 2019. The DA has accused Hamas of waging “senseless violence and all acts of terror against innocent civilians, women and children” in Israel.
The DA also supports a two-state solution based on United Nations Security Council resolutions. In 2017, Maimane received widespread criticism following his trip as DA leader to Israel, in which he met prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
When pointed out to him that the late Nelson Mandela, the ANC and PAC were once also labelled terrorists, Maimane said it would be a miscalculation to merge the Palestinian Struggle and Hamas.
“I do think, having met some of the leaders in the Palestinian Authority – I have never met anyone from Hamas – and I think the struggle you are describing, was it being waged by the Palestinian Authority?” he asked.
“I think it has a different conversation. I happen to have observed what goes on in Gaza, and in truth, some of the Palestinians would tell you straight up they are being harmed by Hamas.
Maimane condemns ‘terrorist’ Hamas
One SA leader says attack on Israel was ‘brutal and evil'
Image: Thulani Mbele
Build One SA leader Mmusi Maimane has lambasted Palestinian military group Hamas, labelling it a terrorist organisation, while commenting on the current middle east conflict.
Maimane was speaking during a wide-ranging interview with SowetanLive podcaster Rams Mabote on Taking the Rams by the Horns podcast.
The latest conflict between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza began after Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7. The conflict has reportedly claimed the lives of more than 2,700 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis.
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“My sense is let’s not synonymise Hamas with the broader Palestinian issue. Hamas is a terrorist organisation ... I think the attack on Israel was brutal and evil. Having been to both sides of the issue, I condemn strongly the terror attacks that took place ... we have got to make sure that we cannot continue with this war,” he said.
“What needs now to happen is that the global community must make sure that we don’t only end the conflict ... but we restore the nature of the of the agreement that has always been in place, which is how do we achieve a two-state solution and make sure that in the region we have peace, because I don’t think violence is the [solution].”
His view is similar to that of the official opposition the DA – which he led from 2015 until he quit in 2019. The DA has accused Hamas of waging “senseless violence and all acts of terror against innocent civilians, women and children” in Israel.
The DA also supports a two-state solution based on United Nations Security Council resolutions. In 2017, Maimane received widespread criticism following his trip as DA leader to Israel, in which he met prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
When pointed out to him that the late Nelson Mandela, the ANC and PAC were once also labelled terrorists, Maimane said it would be a miscalculation to merge the Palestinian Struggle and Hamas.
“I do think, having met some of the leaders in the Palestinian Authority – I have never met anyone from Hamas – and I think the struggle you are describing, was it being waged by the Palestinian Authority?” he asked.
“I think it has a different conversation. I happen to have observed what goes on in Gaza, and in truth, some of the Palestinians would tell you straight up they are being harmed by Hamas.
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“There are many issues that have to be dealt [with], including occupied territories, etc, some of that needs to be interrogated ... I certainly think those actions, equally so, must be condemned and we must deal with them but what we cannot do is to produce what is an ‘eye-for-an-eye’ because I think over a long period of time the region itself has its own...
“Does Israel have a right to exist? And I happen to think ’yes’ and there are others who say ‘no’. I think Israel has a right to its own borders and it must build a functioning state,” he said
Maimane said the Israelis and Palestinians should be allowed to live separately.
“Escalating matters to violence, you are going to have profound deaths. And I don’t think we should allow that and we should be insisting that there should be better negotiations into resolving this,” said Maimane.
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